Press Digest, Thursday, January 24

Photo: Raigo Pajula

ALL PAPERS: Saar Poll publishes local services survey. Polling company Saar Poll's recent satisfaction with local services survey suggests that people are relatively happy with local schools and kindergartens, family medicine, police and rescue board presence, but say that public transport and the condition of roads leaves something to be desired as does access to specialist medical care. Survey participants said that public transport schedules are sparse, roads are often in disrepair and treatment queues to see specialist doctors are too long. People are also satisfied with developments in terms of internet access and walkways and bicycle roads. Minister of Regional Affairs Siim Kiisler said that people's assessments reflect the fields that have seen investments over recent years and that all in all the situation is rather good. The surveyed areas excluded Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Kohtla-Järve, Narva, Saue, Maardu and Viimsi parish.

EESTI PÄEVALEHT: Estonian banks laundered 10 million dollars of Magnitsky case money. An investigation by the money laundering data bureau has revealed that Estonian banks were used to move 10 million dollars diverted from the Russian budget in 2008 as part of a 230 million dollar tax refund based on counterfeit documents. The case was uncovered and investigated by lawyer Sergei Magnitsky before his murder in a Russian prison. The investigation came across 10 million dollars worth of dubious transactions made in 2008, said public prosecutor Piret Paukštys. Considering the fact that the funds moved on to other countries, that accounts belonged to citizens of foreign states and that transactions were carried out online, Estonia will not be launching a money laundering criminal investigation. Corresponding investigations have been initiated in Lithuania, Switzerland, Latvia and Cyprus.